I distinctly remember my first time seeing “Jaws”. It was the ‘80’s, I was little, and that animatronic shark was easily the scariest thing I’d ever seen. Who would ever go swimming in the ocean?! And I recall a trip to Universal Studios around that time, going on a tram ride and ending up with a life-like Jaws jumping out of the water at us as we rode over a lake.
Traumatized. I dream about that Universal Jaws for years.
Fast forward to the Summer of 2022 where I find myself sitting on the deck of a Steamship Authority ferry, my car underneath filled with a week’s worth of luggage, as we full speed ahead to Martha’s Vineyard. Yes, the island where Jaws was filmed! Not going to lie, I kept my eyes peeled the entire 45 ride from mainland Woods Hole, MA to Martha’s Vineyard just in case I needed to start singing, “Dun-nuh, dun-nun” but we arrived without incident.
We docked in Vineyard Haven, located across the island from Chilmark where we were staying for the week. Stepping off the ferry I felt like I was back in the 1800’s. The oldest carousel in America, Flying Horses, is just off to the left. We headed a bit up the street to Black Dog Tavern for our first lunch on the island. Situated right on the water with a perfect view of the boats coming in, we enjoyed mugs of clam chowder and lobster rolls. The girls loved the cute gift shop attached. The sweatshirts they bought were perfect as the evenings can get a little windy and chilly even during the Summer.
We rented an adorably spacious Air BnB in Chilmark, the quintessential farm beach town. Nestled among stone walls and rolling farm land, our house featured beautiful floor to ceiling windows, a bunk house, outdoor shower and fire pit. It was so comfortable and inviting to cone home to after our days exploring the island. Our hosts gifted us with with eggs, cheese, milk and cured meats from Grey Barn, a local farm and bakery. We quickly found out their pastries were an amazing morning treat!
Another local foodie must stop is the Chilmark General Store. It has a huge front porch with rocking chairs, making it a relaxing spot to enjoy some of their homemade pizzas. Bonus: they give you a tote bag to take home with your order! We didn’t see any famous folk there but I heard that Carley Simon is a regular. I was dying to belt out some “You’re So Vain”. Sigh. Maybe next time.
Since we can’t seem to visit anywhere without shopping, let me wax poetic a bit about Edgartown. Once a major whaling port, Edgartown boasts the older homes of past sea captains, yachting event galore and some fabulous local shops. Vineyard Vines has their flagship store there, along with a cute thematic boat right outside on the water. What did seem a bit out of place was Lululemon. I asked a shopkeeper how Lululemon managed a spot in the island, as it is well known chain stores and restaurants are not welcome there. Apparently when the issue of Lululemon came to a vote, none of the elected powers that be had ever heard of it. They thought it was to be a one- off, local shop. Lululemon was let in due to a lack of Align High-Rise pants wearers holding office.
Brilliant.
We visited several beautiful beaches while on the island. They reminded me a bit of the Oregon Coast. Our favorite was Lucy Vincent beach in Chilmark. A bit hard to access (but maybe the locals want it so?) and we were told you have to either live in Chilmark or be a long-term renter to visit the beach. Not sure what laws we broke getting there but, um, it was worth it! We had the beach to ourselves to explore. The cliffs and rock structures are hard to believe. We had an awesome walk and watched the sunset. Gorgeous!
Our other favorite spot to watch the sunset was in Menemsha, a tiny fishing village right out of Jaws! We stopped at Menemsha Fish Market for some clam chowder and fresh shucked oysters right out of the water. Super nice staff as well! We debated which was better, the hot or cold lobster roll, but you can’t go wrong with either.
A must-stop on a trip to Martha’s Vineyard is the lighthouse and cliffs of Aquinnah. These are indigenous lands and well protected from commercialization. The cliffs have been subjected to erosion, with the lighthouse having to be moved in recent years for fear of its destruction. I am terrified of heights but made the exception, going to the top of the lighthouse to look out over the cliffs and ocean. Just gorgeous!!
We had a wonderful visit to Martha’s Vineyard and would love to return soon. I know Obama has a place there so if anyone knows how to contact him, send me a message. I would make an amazing house caretaker!
Until next time.
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